Assigkktor to american telephone



Nov.; 16,1926. n 1,606,822

R. S. BAILEY TELEPHONE swITcHBoARD Filed Nov. 20, 1924 ffy Myer/far.' P4/MJ. //e

entren srares RND S. BAILEY, 0F IY'IGNTCLAIR, NEWv JERSEY, ASSGNR T0 AMERGAN TELEPHGNE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A CQBJ'RATQN GF NEW] YORK.

TELEEHONE SJVTCHBGARD.

Application led November This invention relates to telephone switchboards and more particularly to an arrangement of subscribers multiple and answering jacks in a manual switchboard.

Heretofore, each line served in a so-called 'iultiple switchboard terminated in an answering jack` before a particular operator and a plurality of multiple aclrs regularly placed in the switchboard so that every operator ,had access thereto. ln accordance with this arrangement the line numbers of the lines appearing1 at the various answering jacks did not in any way correspond with the numerical designation of such jacks, in other words, there was no orderly way in which the variously numbered subscribers7 lines appeared in the answering aclrs. rihrough such an arrangement the answering` jack appearances of the subscribers lines could be shifted in order to equalize the trafiic load before the various operators, and switchboards of this nature have found wide commercial application and have proved highly successful.

Thereafter, in the course of time and due to the ever increasing development and improvement of such switchboards, the mult-iple answering jack switchboard was developed wherein each line appeared in several answering jacks before several operators and the operator first available for the service answered. Such an arrangement has been such a success that it has led to a still further development which is embodied in the present invention.

it was believed that if the subscribers answering jacks were multipled throughout the switchboard and the ordinary multiple jacks were entirely eliminated that t-he lines could be arranged in numerical order and that the traffic could be equalized because every line would appear in an answering jack before every operator. Since the lines would be arranged in numerical order the answering jacks could be used for outgoing as well as for incoming service and hence the efficiency of the apparatus could be raised. Again the well-known intermediate distributing frame used for shifting the answering jack appearances could be entirely eliminated. However, it was found that by using the smallest size commercial apparatus available the capacity of such an exchange would be limited to a ligure under that employed in the com- 20, 1824. Serial No. 751,131.

mercial exchanges of today. Moreover, it was found V that an operator was always inclined to answer the incoming calls which were within easy reach without regard to the order in which calls originated and that hence the very trouble which such a switchboard was expected to remedy would become aggravated in the case of those lines not within easy reaching distance of the operator, It was therefore necessary to still further limit the capacity of the exchange to a number of lines considerably smaller than the number which it would be possible for one operator to reach. i

The object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties above mentioned and by so doing to producea switchboard wherein the speed of operation ywill be increased, the apparatus will be vmore eiliciently utilized and a saving will be accomplished through the elimination of certain other apparatus heretofore considered essential.

A feature of this invention is the arrangement in an orderly manner of the total number of lines in the exchangek before each operator partly in multiple answeringjacks and partly .in multiple jacks. f

ln accordance with this feature'just so many lines appear in answering jacks before an operator as she may easily reach and the remainder appear in multiple jacks before her within reaching distance. Thus while the entire multiple is accessible to one Operator the service on none o-f the lines is slowed down on account of any psychological difficulty, that is, the jacks which she may employ at will for answering calls are placed near at hand while the jacks which she must employ in completing calls are placed further away.

Another feature of the invention is the 0rderly arrangement of the lines as they appear both in the answering jacks and the multiple jacks. That is, the lines in theV answering jack group as well as the lines in the multiple jack group are in numerical sequence.

A further feature of the invention is the manner in which one group of lines is arranged to appear before one group of operators in answering jacks and before other operators in multiple jacks.

Another feature of the invention is the entire elimination of the intermediate distributingframe even though a large number of lines is involved.

To attain these objects in accordance with one` feature of the invention, all the switchboards of the exchange may, for example, be divided into two groups with all the lines incoming to the exchange accessible `toeach group; one portion of the lines representing by answering jacks and lamps and the other portion represented by ordinary multiple jacks in one group of switcl'iboards while in the. other group the .lines represented by answering jaclsand lampsin the first group mayV be represented by multiplev jacks and thelines representedby multiple jacks in the firstgroup represented by .answeringjacks andlamps.

l'lio carry out this invention an arrangement. such as shown in the attached drawing may be employed. In Figure 1 is shown, the generall arrangement ofA aunit offoperators switch-boards in. which all the lines are represented'g'one portion of the lines by answering jacks and lamps andthe otherportion by,` lmultiple jacks; 1n Fig; 2 is shown an enlarged part of a switchboard showing the relation of the' individual strips of jaclis and lamps to each other. In Fig. 3` is shown the grouping of thevswitchboards in an. exchange and a method" of changing the lines from one group of switchboards to another.

Referring nowY to the drawings, and particularly'to Fig. l' which illustrates the arrangement" tin, an' exchange having. 8,000

' lines, eight panels of standard switchboard multiple 7` to 14 respectively, are shown in which one half Vor 1,000'of the lines are represented/by answering jacks andfl'amps in a lower portion 5 and in whichthe other half or 4,000 lines are represented' by ordinary `,multiple acks in an` upper portionv 6.- Each of these panels 7` to 14 is arranged as follows: In portion 5 each panel is provided with five groups` of 100 lines reach, subdivided'in'fi've horizontal rows with ai strip of twenty answeringjacks andy astrip of twenty lamps in` each row. The jacks and lamps in the, lowermost, part' ofthe first group of 100 lines of panel 7' represent lines 0 to 19, while the, next row. immediately above it represent`s`lines20 to 39 andthe remaining rows-'in thisgroup are numbered consecutively inthe'- same manner, with the ifth row numbered from 80 to 99; The irst or lowermost group of 100 lines of panel`8 is arranged in the. same manner with the lines numbered from. 100 to 199 and the lines in the lowermost group of' 100 lines in the succeedingpanels 9 tolllfare numbered consecutively in the same manner, that is, so

that the fifth rowin thelowermost group of 100 lines in panel 14- will benumbered'from 780 to 7991 The second groups of100" lines five strips with twenty jacks in each strip and; the lines in-these panels lare numbered from 4,000 to'p7,999.`

Fig. 2 shows a portion of a panel in which the answering jacks 20 and corresponding lamps 214 are arranged asV they will be in portion 5 and the multiple jacks 224 as arranged for portion 6.

As is usual in manual switchboards each operators position is provided withcords withA corresponding" answering and calling plugs placed on the shelves as indicated at 25.

For ordinary trafiic in switchboard, arranged according to this invention, there would be provided one operator for each three panels, Abut it has been found that dur- Y ing slack' periods of trafiic, onel operator alone maybe able to attendto all of 8,000"

lines. In such a case this single operator f would be placed in before oner line of switchbeards, such as 2G, immediately adjacent to the second line of switchboards, such as 27. The space occupiedv by these 8,000 lines is of Vvsuch dimensions in the horizontal and in the vertical direction that one operator may conveniently reach any. one ofthe jacks and readily see any one ofthe 4,000'answering lamps when lighted in either one of the two lines of switchboards. call she would insert the answeringplug most conveniently atY hand or near an answering ack, the corresponding lamp of which is lighted, and she would find the desired jack among/the 8,000 by the usualprocedure ofl reading the numbers on the subscribers line jacks, and'then insert the corresponding calling plug in thedesired' jack regardless vof what' panel or portion of the switchboard it may be located. In this arrangement it is, of course, immaterial whether the jack` of the line desirednis an answering or a multiple jack as connection may be made to eithei` type equally well in answering aA call as is-wellknown in the art.

The reason the-answeringjaclrs andlamps are placed' in the lower portion tis that the space occupied thereby is off such dimensions that when a lamp` is lighted it is entirely within the line of vision of' a single Operator located at thefswitchboard and it is therefore unnecessary for the operator to search the board' for incoming calls by ln answering a any excessive movements of her eyes or any other part ot her body. The temptation ot giving preference to answering jacks immediately in front ot the operator is, therefore, to a large extent, eliminated by ythis invent-ion. lt is altogether possible to arrange the answering jacl-:s and lamps ot i,000 subscribers and the multiple jacks of another 4,000 subscribers within reach of a single operator and it has been found that the space occupied by 4,000 answering jacks and lamps is in the neighborhood of live feet and eight inches in the horizontal direction and about one toot and nine inches in a i-*ertical direction while the space occupied by the multiple jacks is the same in the horizontal direction and approximately ten inches in the vertical direction thus giving a total dimension of the switchboard in the horizontal direction ot five feet eight inches and in the vertical direction ot two feet and seven inches. rlhe above number of subscribers lines and corresponding dimensions of the switchboard are as stated, more or less approximate and it is entirely practical to arrange the switchboards with larger numbers of subscribers lines within reasonable limits and ina similar manner.

Fig. 3 illustrates how the jacks and lamps in this group ot eight panels of multiple in which all the lines incoming to the exchange are represented, may be multipled to other groups of eight panels and how one-half oi the switchboards ot the exchange as shown at 26 may have 4,000 oi" the lines represented by answering jacks and lamps in the lower portion 5, and the remaining 4,000 represented by multiple jacks in the upper portion 6 and the other halt ot the switchboard as shown at 27 may have the jacks and lamps arranged in the same manner but with the positions ot the two groups ot lines inverted. The cables tor these lines may be run-in any convenient manner behind the switchboard and at the junction ot the two groups ot switchboards 26 and 27 a space 28 may be pro-vided for bringing the cables 20 tor the answering jacks of 4,000 lines from the lower section 5 ot' group 26 to the upper section Got group 27 where these lines are represented by multiple jacks only and tor bringing the cables 30 trom the answering jacks in group 27 to the upper portion G ot the group Q6. The cables Jfor both groups ot lines may enter from the terminal room at the lett of group 26, or a portion ot the cables tor group 27 may enter between 26 and 27, as desired.

It is, ot course, understood that the invention is not limited to the particular arrangementshown and may be carried out in any other manner with the principle of the invention in mind. As for example, it the total number ot subscribers lines in the exchange is 9,000, these lines may appear before three groups of operators instead ot the two groups, shown at 26 and 27. In this case, each group might be arranged so that one-third of the lines are accessible to a single operator through answering jacks and lamps and the other two groups of lines accessible to this operator through multiple jacks. Each or" these three groups ot switchboards would therefore have a difterent Oroup ot lines appearing with answering jacks and lamps. A convenient arrangement in this instance would be to have but sin panels arranged for the 9,000 lines with 500 answering jacks and lamps and 1,000 multiple jacks in each panel. The dimensions ot these six panels would then be appromixately three feet live inches in a vertical direction, and tour i'eet three inches in a horizontal direction.

lV hat is claimed is:

l. Switchboards comprising operators positions and subscribers lines terminating thereat, having answering jacks and lamps only representing one portion of said lines located at said operators positions ywithinrelatively easy reach of but a single operator, and multiple jacks only representing the remaining subscribers7 lines placed in said positions relatively less accessible to said single operator.

2. Switchboards comprising operators poitions and a large group ot subscribers lines terminating thereat, having answering jacks and lamps only representing one-bali ot the total number ot subscribers lines located within relatively easy reach of but a single operator, and multiple jacks only representing the remaining lines placed at said positions in a Zone relatively less accessible to said single operator.

Switchboards comprising operators positions divided into twogroups, subscribers lines terminating in iaclrs and lamps only at the positions ot one group, and terminating in multiple jacks only at the positions of the other group, subscribers lines terminating in jacks and lamps only at the second mentioned group oic positions, and in multiple jacks only at the first mentioned group ot positions, the jacks and lamps in each group of positions being placed within relatively easy reach ot a single operator at said group ot positions, while the multiple jacks in each group are placed outside of said easily accessible Zone, but still within reach ott a single operator at said group ot positions.

4L. Switchboards comprising operators positions and subscribers lines terminating thereat, with one port-ion ot' the subscribers lines appearing with answering jacks and lamps only and the remaining portion with multiple jacks only at one group of positions, and with the iirst mentioned portion of the subscribers lines appearing with multiple jacks. only and'.v the second mentioned portion of the subscribers lines appearing with answering jacks and lamps only at the second group of operators? positions, all or said subscribers lines at each group ot operators positions being accessible to each operator at said positions.

5.. Switchboards comprising operators positions and subscribers lines terminating thereat, with one-half of the total number of subscribers lines appearing with answering jacks and lamps and tl e other halt ot the subscribers lin-esappearingl with multiple jacks at' one-half oit the total number ot op erators7 positions, and with the lirst inention'ed halt1 et the subscribers? lines appearing with multiple jacks and the second mentioned half of the subscribers lines appearing with answering jacks and lamps at the other halr of the total number of operators positionsall ot the subscribers lines terminating at each halt ot' the total number ot operators? positions being accessible to each operator.

6. Switchboards comprising operators posit-ions andv8,000 subscribers lines terminating thereat, with 4,000 subscribers lines appearingwitfh answering jacks and lamps arranged in alternate horizontal strips of' 20 jacks and 20 lamps, with 500 jacks and 500 lamps4 in each panelV making a total of S panels,.and with these answering jacks and lamps consecutively numbered throughout the 8 panels, beginningwith the numeral 0 for the iirst left-hand ack and lamp in the lowermost left-hand strips of the irst lefthand' panel,` and ending with the numeral 3,999 for the last right-hand jack and lamp of the uppermost right-hand strips in the last lright-hand panel, and with the same 4,000 subscribers lines appearing in the other groups of 8 panelseach with answering jacks and lamps arranged and numbered in the same manner, all or said groups of 8 panels each constituting one-hal of the total number. of positions, the remaining 4,000 lines appearing with multiple jacks arranged in r, eoaeae arranged in the reverse order and. Withthe Y,

numberingalso reversed so that` the lines.V retain their originally assigned numbers.

7. Switchboards comprising operators?` po'- sitions and 8,000 subscribers7 linesterminating thereat, withv 4,000 lines appear-iugm. one

group ot positionswith answering 'aclrsl and lamps occupying a space approximately tive teet eight inchesV .in a horizontal direction,

and one foot nine inchesina vertical direc-V tion, and with the remainingf4,000 lines appearing at the same positions inthe upper portions thereof, with multiple jacksoccuf pying a space having the same dimensionf in the horizontal direction as the space occupied by the jacks and lamps representing the first mentioned 4:,000linesand measuring approximateli7 l0 inches in vertical direction.

8. Switchboards comprising operators?v positions and subscribers7 lines terminating thereat, each line terminating either' in a jack and lamp or a multiple jack in aposition in each ot a plurality ofi groups otpositions;` Y

9. Switchboards comprising operators po.- sitions and subscribers lines terminating` thereat, said positions being arranged in a number ot groups with a numb-er of positions in, each group, the positions in each `group being again divided in an .equal number of sub-groups, and` all of said lilies terminating in each sub-group with either an answering jack and lamp or els-e with a multiple jack only.

ln testimony whereof, l have signed my .name to this specification this l8th day ot November 1924.

' RAND S. BAILEY. v 

